thought, I was
prepared to have him rage and act--ugly, at my interference in his
affairs; but he paid no more attention than if I had dropped a couple
of puppies at his fireside. Hmm. Queer, queer! But if I'm not mistaken
his young relatives will wake him up a bit before he's done with
them."

After all, though Dorothy had hated to leave the other young folks on
such an errand, through such weather, and in some fear of further
"lectures," the ride to Heartsease had proved delightful. She wouldn't
have missed the rapture on lonely Dorcas Sands's pale face for the
wildest frolic going and, after all, it was a relief to know the
"twinses" could do no more mischief for which she might be blamed; and
it remained now only to appease the wrath of Molly Breckenridge when
she was told that her adopted "son" had been removed from her
authority without so much as "By your leave."

Naturally, Molly said nothing in Mrs. Calvert's presence, but vented
her displeasure on Dorothy in private; until the latter exclaimed:

"You would have been glad, just glad, Molly dear, to hear the way the
poor old lady said over and over again: 'Rose's children! Rose's
children!' Just that way she said it and she was a picture. I wish I
was a Quaker and wore gray gowns and little, teeny-tiny white caps and
white something folded around my shoulders. Oh! she was just too sweet
for words! Besides--to come right to the bottom of things--neither of
us _could_ adopt a child, yet. We haven't any money."

"Pshaw! We could get it!"

"I couldn't. Maybe you could; but--I'm glad they're gone. It's better
for them and we shouldn't have been let anyway, and--where's Helena?"

"Up garret, yet. They're all up there. Let's hurry. They'll have all
the nicest things picked out, if we don't."

They "hurried" and before they knew it the summons came for luncheon.
After that was over Danny Smith and Alfaretta Babcock mysteriously
disappeared for a time; returning to their mates with an
I-know-something-you-don't sort of an air, which was tantalizing yet
somehow suggested delighted possibilities. The afternoon passed with
equal swiftness, and then came the costume parade in the barn; the
charades; and, at last, that merry Roger de Coverly, with Mrs. Betty,
herself, and Cousin Seth leading off, and doing their utmost to teach
the mountain lads and lassies the figures.

All the servants came out to sit around and enjoy the merry spectacle
while old Ephraim, perche